Dragon Chronicles : The Sworn Blade
by Silmeria - Archer of Valhalla
Summary: Millenia have passed since the Golden Age of Bahamut - a time of harmony between dragons and humans. The existence of dragons and their partners - the dragon-borne - have faded into legend until Yuugi, a humble scholar, stumbles into the Last Dragon - The Draconian King - Atem.
1. Chapter 1

Silmeria: Welcome! Dragon Chronicles: The Sworn Blade is my personal project. This tale will expand into three books and this will be one of the longest stories that I have written since I've started on this site over ten years ago. So, I ask that you bear with me on the launching of the first book: The Sworn Blade. Thanks for reading or continuously reading.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Yu-gi-oh!

* * *

 **Chapter One: Prologue: The Star of Orion**

The Laws and Traditions of the Ascein People were as a divine as the Gods and Goddess of Orion and to break them meant certain death. It didn't matter if the law was but a simple one. If one took the opportunity to break it then it was in the Gods and Goddess right to smite them down. Yuugi Motou of Illyrian Village understood that rulebreakers were dealt a harsh punishment, but his fragile heart couldn't stand the thought of burning his Master Yoshinori's remains and pouring them into Helios River as such tradition dictated. He couldn't bear the smell of burning flesh despite knowing that his master's soul had rejoined the Gods and Goddess three winter nights ago. Why could no one understand that this mangled, disease-ridden flesh was all that he had left? That if he could close his eyes he could remember Yoshinori's deep, rumble laugh that seemed to echo off the deep, rooted trees that surrounded their village? If he took a deep breath, he could smell the sage and sandalwood that was buried deep in Yoshinori's robes? The man's wrinkled skin that was always stained with ink and hands that were callused because of the sword and bow he wielded as a Knight of Illyrian?

Could no one understand his grief?

Yuugi took a deep, shuddering breath allowing the piercing cold winds to jolt him from his degenerative thoughts. He had his time to grieve. He had more than hours in the passing days to come to the realization that not all creatures -human or Other-were kind and granted mercy. He would not be burying his beloved master if the people were sincere and kind. If the Gods and Goddess of their Holy Star granted him his desire to see his master back to the land of the living then Yuugi would deem the world kind and just. But, praying heeded no results and neither would sacrificing. The Elder would not allow it. He would burn along his master if he was caught committing such heinous crimes.

Behind him and unaware of his thoughts, the villagers' whispers bounced across the forest trees and the still air: wondering if and when Yuugi would see Yoshinori down the Helios River. Fortunately, their whispers were silenced by the wave of a wrinkled, tan hand and narrowed sapphire eyes drenched in grief.

"Young One!" Rebecca Hawkins, Elder to Illyrian Village, called out swiftly. "You must light the fire and be done with the task! The night draws near and the hour grows still. Be done with it and the let the Gods take his flesh!"

Yuugi swallowed at the harsh command, his grip tightening on the torch. It was an old relic of the village made of white oak and doused in the Helios River a startling sixty times before the Gods deemed it pure enough to use to burn the dead and merge them with the land. Yuugi wanted nothing more than to toss it back into the river and let the Gods take it back. But, like the villagers that stood at his back, he, too, was a holder of tradition. He, too, was frightened of the Gods and Goddesses wraith. And, it was that same fear that forced his feet forward toward the flame held in the Priestess' hands who stared at him with pity in her deep green eyes.

"Our Laws and Traditions are the Words of the Goddesses." the High Priestess murmured as she held the Blue Flame towards his torch. "With his Burning, they remain Sacred and Just."

Yuugi made no reply, merely holding the torch and lighting it with a tight, small frown that he made to sure to disguise as grief rather than the anger he felt towards the Gods. He made to move towards the pyre when the High Priestess stopped him again, her voice hushed and tinged in grief.

"He requested that you would be made to light the pyre." the High Priestess, Asuka Tenjoin, murmured. "He spoke it with his last strength. He was aware that the request would cause you boundless grief, but Yuugi-Lord Motou-he would have no other send him off to the Higher Realms." Asuka stared into his eyes with a strength that the Priestess of Osiris could claim to possess. "He would want no other."

At the revelation, Yuugi's throat tightened and his eyes stung with unshed tears. In their village, when one requested the holder of the torch during their sending it meant that the departed thought of the holder as Family. As a loved one. It meant that Yoshimori loved him beyond imagining and for him to find out now of all places? Yuugi wanted to fall to his knees and scream into the cold, wet snow that sat beneath their feet. He wanted to rage at the Gods for taking his remaining family away from him. Why? What did he do to deserve such torture? Such profound trials?

"Do not fall." Asuka pleaded as if she could sense his anger and sadness. "You will march forward and send him off with your head held high and with pride." Asuka gripped his arm and urged him forward, all too aware of their small audience and the increased whispers. "Go."

"Aye." Yuugi gripped the torch, the scorching heat an all too real reminder as he stepped toward the unlit pyre and stared at the wrapped body and couldn't help the swallow at the smell. The winter cold did nothing to stay the stench of death.

"I love you," Yuugi whispered, holding the torch towards the pyre. _"Merge with duin a dór, post with i Gods at vedui."_

 _"_ I love you," Yuugi repeated, stepping away as the pyre lit into a brilliant blue burst of flames that drifted into the darkening skies. Behind him, the chanting of prayers began to rise: speaking of Gods and Forgiveness. Of Courage and Triumph.

Of Love.

It was then, as the skies darkened and the stars emerged that Yuugi allowed his tears to slide down his cheeks and into the snow and his sobs to echo into cold, still air. He didn't care for the looks of disapproval as his sobs drowned out the prayers. He didn't care as Asuka rushed forward and held his shoulders in her tight, gloved grip, quietly scolding him for interrupted prayer and tradition and that he would be punished if he didn't quiet his grief.

He didn't care at all.

The hour chimed midnight as the last of Yoshimori's body and the pyre turned to ash and the last of Yuugi's tears dried. He watched with a dull gaze as Elder Hawkins gathered his former master's ashes and placed them in a small, black bag boring the crest of the Yoshimori Family - A Sword and a Wolf.

"You are not done." Elder Hawkins uttered, her voice weathered by time and the cold as she passed him the thick bag. "Pray and Guide him down the Helios and be done with it." Rebecca grasped his hand in her own. "We have no more time for grief, child. You must understand."

"Of course." Yuugi murmured, gently gathering the bag of ashes into his gloved hands turning away from Elder Hawkin's own grief. She understood his pain and understood it well, but as Elder of Illyrian Village, she was obligated to guide her people with logic first and love last as a leader should and Yuugi understood it. After all, they would arrive again and attempt to erase them from their Goddesses Gaze.

"You..." Yuugi shivered underneath his fur coat as a burst of wind swept over them as if the Goddess urged to never speak of it. Of them. "You received a feather? From the High Lord?"

"Indeed." Rebecca sniffed, her shrewd gaze searching the small wooded area before landing on Yuugi once more. "Ceslan has sent the Shadowed Ones to our doorstep again and the High Lord has urged us to raise the barrier-"

"Again?" Yuugi shivered at the thought. "You would raise it again? After Master Yoshimori?" Yuugi tightened the grip on the bag of ashes. "Elder-"

"We will not question our Lord." Rebecca cut in swiftly before softening her gaze-her words. "You are young and wild, little one. You will understand that sacrifice..." Rebecca huffed, her small, but strong shoulders slumping. "...sacrifice is needed and will always be needed."

"To what end?" Yuugi questioned with a twisted smile. "To hide behind a barrier that did nothing? You are aware of our losses, Elder? Or were you not aware of the body-" Yuugi's head was suddenly jerked to the left as a hand met flesh harsh and the sudden sound of a slap echoed in the air.

" _Silence."_ Rebecca hissed, her weathered hand lowered. "You will not speak out of turn again, child. Do so and you will suffer for it and not by my hand." Rebecca stepped closer, wrenched Yuugi's hand away from his face where a small trace of blood slid down his cheek at the force of the blow. "Do you understand?" Rebecca shook him again. "Do you?"

"Yes," Yuugi responded, lowering his head in reverence and an apology. "I understand, Elder. You-You have my utmost apologies."

Rebecca brushed his atonement off as if it were dirt underneath her boots. "Spare me, Young One. You meant what you said and I meant to strike you. There will be no apologies. I merely want you to apologize for allow me to freeze my tits off in this dreadful cold." Rebecca nodded her head towards the swift coursing river that lies next to them. "Go on. Helios River awaits."

At the mention of the task ahead, Yuugi stilled, the bag in hands growing heavy. It was all he could do to rise and force his feet towards the river. He stopped, dropping to his knee and allowing the cold to seep into his trousers as a small comfort before opening the bag and gently tilting it towards the water. The sight of his former master as nothing but ashes caused his throat to close up tight and tears to sting his eyes.

"Guide him well, Lord Poseidra." Yuugi murmured as the ashes continue to trickle into the river. "Grasp his ashes within your mighty jaws and take him to the Higher Realms. Guide his soul and allow it to rest till the End of Days where he shall rise again as a Warrior of the Higher Realms with Blade and Bow." Yuugi grasped the bag tighter as the last of his master's ashes slid into the river. "Be at Peace, Master Yoshimori."

Yuugi rose, dusted the snow off his trousers and fur cloak before approaching Rebecca again with a tight, miserable frown. "It's done."

"Good." Rebecca released a bone-weary sigh that spoke of her impatience. "Come. Let us return to the village. If we're lucky then we will make it as dawn approaches and began preparations for the barrier."

"And who?" Yuugi began with a small swallow of regret-of fear. "Who will be using?"

Rebecca said nothing as she climbed onto her horse, a magnificent Courser by the name of Thyestes. "You do not need to worry about the women or the children being used."

"Then...who?"

Rebecca urged her horse forward, clicking her tongue to start a small trout and Yuugi was quick to man his own horse, a smaller Courser by the name of Atreus. "Elder-"

"I will be using Kratos," Rebecca called out casually. "He has volunteered."

Yuugi squeezed his thighs and jerked as Atreus' trout turned into a full gallop and all but collided with Thyestes. "Kratos?" Yuugi repeated with a shuddering breath. "You mean to sacrifice your own son? Our Lord Commander?"

Rebecca said nothing, staring at him with her shrewd sapphire eyes that Yuugi had come to adore since he was but a child. "Yes," she replied after a long pause. "I mean to sacrifice the child I spent three days in labor. I mean to toss away the life of my son who is now a proud and vicious warrior. Who has triumph over tragedy over tragedy? The loss of his wife and children who were proud warriors themselves? The man whom you currently fuck on a weekly basis when the cold nights grow too much to bear? Yes, I mean to use him as a catalyst towards the barrier."

"Elder Hawkins." Yuugi made no move to urge his horse out of the way when Thyestes gave an impatient neigh. "You must-must reconsider."

"Must I?" Rebecca goaded, nudging Thyestes along and down the snow-ridden path. "It is an honor to protect our village from all threats and you would deprive Kratos of it? Whose lot in life is one of a warrior?"

Yuugi flushed in shame before giving a solemn shake of the head. "No." Yuugi murmured, swallowing back his sorrow at the eventuality of Kratos' death. " I will not."

"Good." Rebecca snapped her reins with a twisted grin. "See that you do not."

Yuugi took a deep, shuddering breath staring at the Elder's back before following along with a tight heart and even tighter soul.

* * *

The light of Dawn and Kratos' solemn figure greeted them as they passed through Illyrian Village's Gate and Yuugi wanted nothing more than to jump from Atreus' back and embrace his lover but Kratos' dark eyes and still form urged him to remain on his horse's back.

"You welcome us home, Kratos." Rebecca's rough voice echoed against the cold as she gracefully slid off the horse and embraced her son. "Are the preparations done?"

"Yes, Elder." Kratos' deep voice returned and Yuugi took the time to check over his soon-to-be ex-lover. He was thankful that Kratos' tall and broad form was healthy and flushed by the cold. The man's deep black hair had grown down his back and was placed in a low ponytail and his beard had grown to make him look slightly older. It stirred Yuugi's loins to see him again, but the low heat soon grew cold at the thought of Kratos' leaving him behind in this mortal world-sacrificed as his master was days prior.

"Good." Rebecca continued, oblivious to Yuugi's degrading thoughts. "We will begin the ritual at the Height of the Sun." Rebecca turned towards Yuugi who had yet to dismount from his horse. "Attend to him. I will gather the villagers and tell them the news."

Kratos only moved when Rebecca was out of sight. "You are well?" Kratos gathered Yuugi into his arms and was gentle to set him on the cold ground. "Yoshinori-?"

"The High Heavens have taken him home," Yuugi uttered softly, reaching up and placing his gloved hands against Kratos' cheeks before moving to embrace his former lover. "Must you?"

"I must." Kratos dragged him closer and buried his face into Yuugi's hair. "I do this for our home and I cannot bear the thought of you being sacrificed-"

"And you think I can bear the thought of you doing the same?" Yuugi pulled away, hurt at Kratos' ignorance. Or, rather, Kratos cared so little for his feelings. "Master Yoshinori is gone and you soon will be gone as well. Did neither of you think of my heart while you throw yourselves to your deaths?"

"It is because we think of your heart that we do this, Yuugi," Kratos stated, his dark eyes softening when Yuugi scoffed and looked away as if he couldn't bear to stare at Kratos. "Do you really think so little of us? That we would leave you in this desolate world on purpose? Do you?"

"No," Yuugi whispered after a lengthy pause. "Never. I know that I am loved beyond my imagining, but what good is that love if I am alone? What can I do with such love if no one is around to share it? To feel it as I do?"

"We are here and we will walk beside you-even in death." Kratos moved to embrace him again, relieved that Yuugi made no move to reject his advances. "You will never be alone. I will make sure of it."

"Oh?"

Kratos hummed, pulling away and grasping his hand in his own before guiding him towards the inner workings of the village. Illyrian Village was a labyrinth of homes, shops, and inns. Considered one of the largest villages in a trinity dubbing themselves the Frontier of Ascien, Illyrian Village was the first defense of Western Ascien and acted as Guardian towards the smaller villagers outside of the Frontier of Ascien.

"Here." Kratos urged him further into the village, quiet about the fact that the villagers were hovering near the Altar of Osiris, waiting for his arrival, almost impatient for him to create and mold their safety.

It made Yuugi sick to his stomach.

"We are going home?" Yuugi whispered, stopping in front of a small house that Kratos called home. It was a place of reprieve considering that Kratos was Lord Commander of the Knights of Illyrian and was sparsely home. Why, the only time the man was home was to visit Rebecca, to rest, and to-to. Yuugi face flamed at the fact that he was one of the reasons that Kratos returned home-in haste most often than not.

"Memories?" Kratos murmured, urging him inside and out of the cold. Kratos' lodgings were simple with a mere bed in the corner near the windows, a couch, and chair near the fireplace and a small area that held a small mass of weapons created by Kratos himself and-

"Wait," Yuugi whispered, eyes straying to the display of weapons - a bow specifically. "Where did you get-?"

"It was gifted to me by the Dwarves of Zeshen," Kratos explained with a mournful smile as he moved to remove the bow off the wall and place it in Yuugi's hands. "The Bow of Yggdrasil will protect you from the Shadowed Ones." Kratos' jaw clenched at the thought-the eventuality. "I had the Dwarves modify it with the last of my magic."

"What...?" Yuugi breathed, head shooting up at the statement. Without his magic, Kratos wouldn't be able to mentally survive the ritual. The man would be driven insane by the pain. "Is your mother aware of your actions?"

"As she was aware of the first breath I drew in this life," Kratos responded softly. "You must take care of the Bow of Yggdrasil. It has survived since the Age of Bahamut and would be a shame if it couldn't handle your steady hands, no?"

"Of course," Yuugi uttered, reverently placing the bow over his shoulder. "It is in good hands. I cannot thank you enough for this precious gift, Kratos, but you know that I would prefer you at my side? The man that has my heart can protect me better than a Bow of the Gods."

"Aye." Kratos murmured, stepping closer and placing his hands over Yuugi's as he bent down and placed a kiss on Yuugi's forehead. "And yet, this will have to be enough."

Yuugi's lips thinned, and made no reply, merely closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of Kratos' lips against his skin when the bell tolled, signaling for Kratos to come to Altar.

"Don't go." Yuugi pleaded as the bell tolled again. "Please. Don't go."

"I must," Kratos stated firmly. "Do not make this difficult. Know that my love will keep your strong and safe." Kratos held out his hand, silent as Yuugi reached forward and placed his smaller one within his own. "Walk with me, Beloved. Walk with me towards my end."

"Yes."

Yuugi said nothing as they made their way to the Altar of Osiris. He kept his eyes lowered as he handed Kratos off to the High Priestess Asuka who wouldn't meet his gaze. Yuugi said nothing as he joined Rebecca in the crowd and joined her shaking hands with his own. Said nothing as the man who he had come to love was stripped and laid bare on the Altar. Said nothing of the tears that rolled down his cheeks as prayers lifted into the air. Said nothing as Kratos' screams tore his heart to shreds as Rebecca cold facade broke and she fell to the ground, screaming her hatred of Ceslan to the skies. Said nothing as Asuka raised her ritual knife to the air before slamming it down into Kratos' heart and ending his life and extending theirs as the barrier activated, erecting around the village like a mother embraces her child.

Said nothing as he watched the embers of life in Kratos' vanish as he, too, joined the Gods.

"It is done." Asuka bellowed out, rising and visibly swallowing at the sight of blood at the hem of her robes. "The Barrier of Osiris has been erected! Rejoice! For we are safe from the Shadowed Ones!"

"You must rise, Elder." Yuugi bent down, gathering Rebecca's shaking form in his arms. "You must rise and greet your people and rejoice that we are safe again-"

"Kratos." Rebecca murmured, interrupting Yuugi's soft demands. "My Firstborn. My Warrior. My Blade." Rebecca raised her head, her once luminous blonde and gray hair smudged by tears and snow. "Gone."

"Gone." Yuugi agreed with a tight smile that belied his sadness. "Yet, he is all around us, Elder. He is in the air we breathe, the sun that soaks into our skin, the water we drink and bathe and the food that we eat. Kratos embraces us with his love and we are grateful, are we not?" Yuugi tugged Rebecca closer as he noticed the villagers eyes on them once more. "Are we not?" Yuugi questioned again as he rose with her and forced her toward the Altar of Osiris now empty save for Kratos' blood - all that remained of him.

"We are," Rebecca uttered, joining hands with the High Priestess before turning to the people whose cheers had turned to somber silence as if they realized _who_ was sacrificed.

"My People." Rebecca began, looking weathered as if all of her duties as mother and leader became too much to bear. "Let us stand here before the Gods and give thanks for the protection they have granted us in these dark times. Let us give thanks to those who were sacrificed in order for us to have such protection." Rebecca stopped, her eyes straying to the blood caked altar and shivered before continuing, her voice stronger and laced with conviction.

"Kratos and Yoshimori's lives were not given in vain!" Rebecca stepped forward, her lips pulled into a proud smile. "The Shadowed Ones approach our steps again and it is time for us to raise our swords, our bows, lances, spears, and hammers! The time is nigh! Let us not stand behind a barrier, but behind our weapons. We are Illyrians! We are Warriors! We are the Guardians of the Realm of Ascien! Let us not bow our heads and cower in fear to these creatures of the night. We will embrace the Light that Kratos and Yoshimori have blessed us with and turn it to courage so that our descendants may know that we fought bravely and we were strong." Rebecca's lips tightened as she looked down and saw pride, fear, sadness, righteous anger in her dear people eyes and allowed, just once, for tears to slide down her cheeks.

"Let it not be in vain," Rebecca whispered, as murmurs of encouragement rose into the air. In the crowds, she caught Yuugi's warm, but sad smile and as her lips sought to return the gesture, her eyes caught the golden string that sat upon Yuugi's chest that led to a rather intricate looking bow that sat across his back. The sight jerked her into a cold stillness. The Bow of Yggdrasil had been passed down in her family for generations and the sight of it on Yuugi's back meant that Kratos' love for the boy extended passed mere fucking. It meant that her son was in love-had been love. She supposed the sight of it should have warmed her old bones, but it merely made her heart cold knowing that such a powerful love would never be fulfilled.

"Elder." Yuugi greeted from the bottom of the Altar, looking up at her with a soft understanding that she knew all too well. "Are you well? You've grown pale."

Rebecca stared at him before joining him at the bottom steps, reaching out with a gloved hand to the golden string that sat on Yuugi's chest. "You know that his love for you is-is indescribable? To know that he blessed you with this bow before he died means that would have happily taken you as his mate?"

"I know that he loved me," Yuugi whispered, reaching up and clasping his hands with Rebecca's. "I know that him giving this to me meant that he would have proposed - allowed me to bear his name, but I knew that Kratos was a warrior first and foremost and I would always be a constant second. Yet, I shared his love and I embraced it and I shall always embrace it-" Yuugi swallowed before tightening his grip on Rebecca's hand. "...Mother."

"And embrace it you shall, child." Rebecca murmured, looking up at the deep blue barrier that served as temporary protection. She had meant what she said before: they would no longer bow before the Shadowed Ones.

"Come." Rebecca urged. "You, me, and that Bow of Yggdrasil have much to discuss."

Yuugi smothered a chuckle at the Elder's words. "You speak as if this bow has a life of his own-wait, why are you smiling? Rebecca? Rebecca, wait!"


	2. Chapter 2

Silmeria: Welcome! Dragon Chronicles: The Sworn Blade is my personal project. This tale will expand into three books and this will be one of the longest stories that I have written since I've started on this site over ten years ago. So, I ask that you bear with me on the launching of the first book: The Sworn Blade. Thanks for reading or continuously reading.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Yu-gi-oh!

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Echoes of the Old World**

The sun had long faded into the cold horizon when the hooves of horses belonging to the funeral bearers reached Yuugi's ears. He rose from his desk and approached the window and watched with dull eyes as Elder Hawkins approached him with a shaken smile, her fur-lined cloak all but smothering her in its embrace.

"Greetings," Rebecca uttered her voice low due to the cold winds and grief. "All is well with the village?"

"Aye," Yuugi responded, leaning further out the window to clasp his hand with the Elders. "All goes well in the Ascien Frontier. And the Sending?"

Rebecca's lips crumpled at the inquiry and Yuugi felt the sharp sting of regret but found himself pleasantly surprised at the response and the pool of warmth in his heart that followed.

"Kratos' departure was felt throughout the land," Rebecca responded with a hearty chuckle. "As his ashes poured into the Holy River, his spirit shot out and his ax pierced the heavens and the sun shined down upon us as if he had given us his blessing and his forgiveness. His bravery and kindness have rightfully earned him a spot as a Warrior and Smith of the Gods. He will do well in looking after us." Rebecca's eyes softened. "He will do well in looking after his beloved."

Yuugi's lips quivered before he pressed them tightly together. Kratos did not die so that Yuugi could grieve for him. He died so that Yuugi and the villagers could live long and prosperous lives and he would see it done.

"And I would be thankful until the end of my days," Yuugi whispered, shaken that Rebecca had acknowledged their relationship in such a profound, sincere way. He would not let the effort go to waste.

"What are we to do now, Elder?" Yuugi questioned, eyes lifting to the sky and eyeing the current barrier with a hint of distaste. "You cannot expect us to hide behind the barrier for the rest of our lives?"

"No." Rebecca acknowledged with a sniff of distaste. "I do not expect us to hide like rats in a shitty hole. I have heard nothing from the Council of Ascien about the Shadowed Ones which means the sniveling cowards have either left us to die or have fled to the capital with their tail between their legs."

"I think we can consider both as a viable option," Yuugi uttered with a bitter chuckle. "Long has the Ascien Frontier been its own force and its own supplier, but the Lords do not hesitate to abandon us in our greatest time of need. I trust the King nor the Prince will be pleased when it reaches his ears."

"Nay." Rebecca disagreed lightly. "It will not be the King nor the Prince that we will have to worry about. It will be the Imperial Commander. For it is he that looks down at cowardice with extreme prejudice. He will serve as their judge, jury, and executioner. You know as well as I do that he favors the Frontier for our independence and our desire to live off the land and to return its blessings."

"Yes." Yuugi agreed with a small hum. "We talk of abandonment and cowardice, but one question stalls my mind: are the lords still among the living?"

"You think them dead?"

"Cowards the lot of them maybe, but false in their efforts few of them are not," Yuugi replied. "I know that Lord Reyos has a deep love of Illyrian and its Knights considering that his grandfather was one of its co-founders decades past. So, for him to abandon and go silent at such a critical time worries me."

"You worry for the wrong souls, little one." Rebecca chastised. "You know how powerful the emotion of fear can be and it envelops one mind then I cannot say what type of behavior it displays. Lord Reyos might have favored our lands, but at the end of the day, it is his life that he values the most. Our lands can be rebuilt and our villagers can thrive, but life cannot be breathed into one's body once it's lost."

"Aye." Yuugi agreed with a worried frown. "Shall we search for them, Elder? To bring truth and relief to our worries?"

Rebecca clicked her tongue in thought, it would be wise, to search for the insolent lords to see if they were still among the living, but with the Shadowed Ones running amok, she couldn't spare a proper search team to send to the outer lands. She had her own people to protect while the barrier was erected. She couldn't afford them to be exhausted by the search once the barrier was destroyed and to have them die on top of that?

"No," Rebecca responded after the thoughtful pause. "We shall not search. If they are dead then that is to be their fate."

Yuugi's lips thinned at the decision. He opened his mouth to protest when Rebecca cut in again, her voice grim, and full of understanding that Yuugi couldn't begin to comprehend.

"You cannot expect me to send out men at this perilous time? Away from their families? To search for men who care nothing for them? Who most likely abandon them?" Rebecca sent him a sharp look of reproach. "Do not task me with that burden."

Yuugi lowered his eyes, ashamed to have asked such a thing during a perilous time. He felt it deep in his bones that the Lords of the Frontier were lost to them and their bodies were rotting in the sun, ready to be devoured by the buzzards that seemed to thrive in the waning winter months.

"What are we to do, Elder?" Yuugi looked around the village from this perch on the window and watched with a grimace as the people moved in a sluggish manner, as if the barrier or the sight of it, dragged them down into deep despair. "This-this is no way to live-"

"And live we must." Rebecca returned swiftly. "Until an alternative can be found." Rebecca clicked her tongue and urged her horse away from Yuugi's window. "I will expect you at my home in the morning, Yuugi, to find that alternative."

Yuugi's head snapped up at the order and a smile struggled to remain off his lips. He lowered his head again, his eyes brightening at the order. It would give him enough time to find a solution, or at least, the steps that would eventually lead to one.

"I understand, Elder."

Rebecca clicked her tongue again, shooting him an amused look that spoke volumes about how she thought about his response. "Good."

Yuugi kept his head lowered, waiting for the clicking of the horse's hooves to fade into the cold air before slamming his window door shut and rushing towards his books that Master Yoshimori left to him. Of course, the majority of them were books based on weapon care, herbs, and the occasional magical artes, but one book that sat in the very back of the case was one that Yuugi desired. With a hum of triumph, Yuugi pulled the dusty tome off the shelf and carried it to the desk, turning up the lamp bright enough to bring the words to life on the page. This was it, wasn't it?

The Book of Obelisk

One of the sacred books that contained magical spells and lore that were used during the Age of Bahamut. The very book itself was covered in a spell considering that the Age of Bahamut ended two thousand years prior. When and How Yoshimori obtained such a tome was not for Yuugi to know and he didn't bother to care as long as it saved his village.

As long as Kratos would be the last sacrifice.

Careful of the age of the book, Yuugi flipped it open and his eyebrows shot up at the language the book used. It was familiar, and it would take time to decipher, but wasn't this...?

"It's the Tongue of Ra." Yuugi flipped the book back to his cover to make sure he had obtained the correct book before returning to its pages. "What is the Tongue of Ra doing in a Book of Obelisk? I knew that the Gods were connected and shared power, but never did they share the same tongue." Yuugi huffed and return to read, his eyes scanning and processing what little information he could gleam without translating. So far, the book said nothing about a barrier or the magic pertaining to it, but what about items? If holy relics could be found and used against the Shadowed Ones, but what good would that do? Holy Relics were requisitioned by the Churches and Emperor Seto Kaiba and Imperial Commander Katsuya were adamant about using them as little as possible.

Despite the fact that the Age of Bahamut was two thousand years ago, the fact that it was magic and increasing technological advances were the cause of its downfall, didn't escape the Royal Family and Imperial Armies attention and thus the lack of use of magic and holy relics. Although the same cannot be said of the opposing Country of Ceslan who were known for their uses in magic and technology.

It had always been a dream of Yuugi's to explore the lands of Ceslan, but with the increasing tensions along the borders, it was nigh impossible to cross into the magic-rich lands without prosecution. So, Yuugi sat, sullen and displeased at the lack of knowledge and its increasing distance. He knew that Ceslan would have more knowledge about the Books of the Gods and there were even scarce rumors about Ceslan containing the Book of Holy Dragons - a tome containing the bloodlines of the Imperial Family of Elysian, the royal family of dragons that was said to be lost at the end of the Age of Bahamut.

Yuugi huffed, at his wit's end when nothing but pages upon pages of the Tongue of Ra sat before him when a picture caught his eye mid-turn. Didn't that look like-?

"The Hall of the Gaians?" Yuugi pulled the book closer to the light as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. That couldn't be right, could it? He knew that the Hall was _old,_ but not _two thousand years old._

"Ugh!" Yuugi shoved the book out of the light and slammed it against the table, frustrated. He wished that Master Yoshimori was still here among the living. Still here to help-

"Still here to Guide." Yuugi swallowed back to lump that formed in his throat when he thought about the old man. His knowledge seemed sacred now, but he knew that he was just being dramatic and that Yoshimori's knowledge was most likely common among scholars in the Capital, but what use was knowledge in the Capital when it couldn't be obtained?

"Nothing else that I can use," Yuugi uttered, flipping towards the last of the pages before shutting the book with a silent snap. "The Archives don't have anything useful and I only have a picture as a clue? The Elder is going to be pleased." Yuugi reached up and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it and felt a wave of exhaustion at tomorrow's meeting. Elder Hawkin's was going to skin him alive, but what choice did he have at this time point?

A promise was a promise.

"I'll have to keep looking." Yuugi set the Book of Obelisk aside and pulled up his sleeves. "Even if it takes all night. I'll find _something."_

* * *

 _Nothing._

 ** _Nothing._**

 **"** _Gods Above."_ Yuugi roared, tossing a rather useless tome against the wall and watching with exhausted satisfaction as it fell to the floor with a satisfying smack. It held nothing of importance. He would make sure to burn it later.

"What am I to do?" Yuugi bemoaned, sliding to his knees and burying his face into his ink-stained hands. He sat among stacks of books and shuddered as the smell of the old tomes brought him a margin of the comfort of what's the come. He removed his hands and stared at the window and flinched when he heard the slamming of doors and the loud clacks of woods. It was already early morning and the markets were getting ready for a lackluster day. All of them depending on their Elder to see them through another perilous day while said Elder was depending on Yuugi to give her a clue to find a solution.

It was horrifying when one thought about it.

But-

But-

He couldn't let them down.

This was his home and he would protect it to his last breath.

With another shuddering breath, Yuugi rose from the floor and gathered his cloak and the Book of Obelisk before stepping out into the sun and towards the Elder's home. He held nothing but a picture, but it was better than nothing. If this picture could help them in some shape and form then he would present it and press forward.

He owed it to Yoshimori and Kratos.

He owed it to Rebecca and the villagers.

He owed it to himself.

He raced across the village proper, waving his hand when his name was called out and chuckled when the kids sitting near the fountain enticed them to play. This was the Illyrian Village that he knew: peaceful and content.

"Elder!" Yuugi banged against the sturdy wooden door, wincing when it burst open to see Rebecca hunched over in a wool coat and her hair down from her usual braid with a smoke pipe dangling from her weathered hand.

"You scared the life out of me, child." Rebecca snapped like an old wolf as she invited him in with a wave of the hand. "I take it that you've found something? You're clutching that book like a maiden clutching her robes."

"Aye-" Yuugi halted, ready for the backlash before opening the book and setting it on the table as Rebecca resettled herself in the chair next to the fireplace. "This-" he pointed to the picture. "I-I think we can find something here-"

"The Hall of the Gaians...?" Rebecca scoffed, folding her legs and staring down at him with a look of mild disbelief. "You found something in that old relic? Something that's older than me?"

"No," Yuugi replied honestly, drawing a raised eyebrow from the Elder, but he continued, relentless in his pursuit to convince her. "Don't you think that it's odd that this was in the Book of Obelisk-? A Hall in the Land of Ascien? And this entire book is ridden in the Tongue of Ra-"

"Spare the theatrics, child." Rebecca interrupted smoothly, leaning forward, her faded blonde hair covering her eyes that held a touch of boredom and resignation. "Can this save us?"

"I don't know," Yuugi admitted, his slim shoulders slumping. Did he fail? He knew this was stupid-

"Do you think it will contain a clue about the barrier or the Shadowed One?" Rebecca pressed, reaching out and laying her hands on his shoulder, squeezing them tightly. "A chance?"

"A chance," Yuugi whispered, lifting his head and allowing the fear - the trepidation- to show in his eyes. "Is all we have."

"And that chance is what we shall bank on." Rebecca released him, rose, groaning as her back cracked. "You will gather your things and head to the Hall of the Gaians on the morrow. I am going to bank on this chance."

"Elder-"

"Be silent." Rebecca snarled, her weathered hands balling into tight fists and if Yuugi didn't know her, he would have mistaken it for rage, but he knew grief and hopelessness when he saw it.

It was a cloak that he wore well, after all.

"You have your marching orders, boy." Rebecca returned to her chair. "Out of my sight, the cold aches my bones."

"Yes, Elder." Yuugi gathered the book and headed towards the door when something stopped him. He turned, watching Rebecca blow out a puff of smoke from her pipe and had an odd feeling. It was ominous and sank to the pit of his stomach. It stank of fear and despair. It was as if-as if-

It was going to be the last time he saw her.

Yuugi shook his head as if he thought was nonsense and left the Elder's home with a tight, lonely smile:

He had much to prepare for, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Silmeria: Welcome! Dragon Chronicles: The Sworn Blade is my project. This tale will expand into three books and this will be one of the longest stories that I have written since I've started on this site over ten years ago. So, I ask that you bear with me on the launching of the first book: The Sworn Blade. Thanks for reading or continuously reading.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Yu-gi-oh!

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Hall of the Gaians**

The Hall of the Gaians was not as the name implied. It held no Gaians - a race of beings that controlled various elements. It was a memorial dedicated to all races that habited Orion: Humans, Dragons, Dwarves, Mermaids, Neko, Elves, and Winged Ones. It was once a meeting ground for the leaders of these races to meet and converge - to decide the Fate of Orion and to pass the torch to their Heirs and Heiress. The Hall of the Gaians was once the center of the entire world and now it lay in ruin in the Wicked Forest that was only a day ride from Illyrian Village. But, even beneath the rubble and cracked stone, marble, and gold, Yuugi could see how magnificent the Hall of the Gaians once was during the Age of Bahamut. He could see leaders and their children sitting at the massive round table dressed in robes of white, gold, blue or green - the colors of their homes and banners conversating with small, polite smiles that belied their positions. He could see the Human leaders watching the Elves and Dwarves with a wary eye - the old wounds of war between the three races still too fresh to push behind a layer of kindness and diplomatic intrigue. If Yuugi turned to his left, he could swiftly bring to life the solemn expressions of the Mermaid and Neko, who were known for the neutrality watch their allies argue amongst themselves, old friendships tossed against the rocks like ships in the dangerous seas and finally, he could envision the Winged Ones and Dragons bearing witness to the unstable balance to the Lands Below with tight lips and warring frowns. The Age of Bahamut might have been a prosperous one, but it was not without its trials and tribulations.

It was an age that Yuugi could only dream about in his deepest of slumbers. As a scholar, it was one of Yuugi's favorite subjects but as a human living in the Remnant Age, he wondered what it was like to see Dragons flying in the skies as if it was a commodity? A Winged One swooping down for a piece of fruit that she could smell even from the highest of heights? Or a Neko jumping from building to building with a tinkling laugh and a twitching tail? It was a vision that Yuugi could no longer bear because this was an age where races no longer greeted one another with a bright smile. It was an age where the Winged Ones stuck to the skies as if the ground was lava and the Mermaid stayed beneath the waves as if the air itself was poison and the Dwarves remained in their mountains toling away with grim determination and the Neko stuck to their villages with hoods hiding their ears and tails and humans...

Humans wore rags and were pale as death.

Yuugi closed his eyes and turned away from the table and continued further in the Hall and away from the round table that held nothing but a pipe dream. He had arrived at the Hall of the Gaians a mere day ago and set up camp near the entrance and began exploring and had come to the conclusion that this was going to be no easy task to explore the Hall with its sprawling floors and wide corridors that told stories of different Ages. And while Yuugi found it fascinating, it held nothing about the Shadowed Ones or how to destroy them. Five floors he had searched and he found nothing but statues of Elves, Dragons, Dwarves, and the occasional Neko.

It would be simple to pack up and go home and face his failure, but Rebecca, Kratos and Yoshimori's faces flashed in Yuugi's mind and he found himself moving towards the sixth floor with a racing heart and bated breath. He couldn't let his people or himself down. No one would save them and Yuugi couldn't bear to see the resignation Rebecca would wear should he return empty-handed.

She lost enough.

"I won't let it be in vain," Yuugi whispered, staring into the darkness of what he hoped would be the last floor of the Hall of the Gaians. "I'll do what I can and hope to save us all." He pressed his gloved hand against the wall and took a careful step into the darkness, careful not to stumble as the light from the previous floor faded and all remained was the echoes of his steps and his stuttered breathing which turned to relief as his foot reached solid floor and a manic giggle escaped his lips when he found that the floor was barely lit, but enough light to guide him towards what looked like an exit.

"Careful," Yuugi whispered, swallowing to whet his throat as he moved past the wide floor, once more relieved to find nothing that could eat-

"Oh." Yuugi breathed as he slipped past the doorway of the dark room into the next one where he was greeted by what looked like a- "Dragon." Yuugi felt a sliver of fear slide down his spine of the sight of it. "I must be hallucinating." Yuugi continued, his feet guiding him further into the room, his mind screaming to run, but his heart urging him, begging to press on and touch and examine.

"It's real." Yuugi's hand slid down the dragon's massive snout, bending down to stare at the dragon's closed eyes before reaching up and touching its snout again. "How long have you been down here?" Yuugi rose, making a full circle and examining the room with wild eyes and a harried frown. The room was empty save for the massive runes on the walls that were fading with time but still held a faint glow. It was the same situation with the floor and doors. The room looked simple, but with the runes, it was enough to deduce that it was used to seal and contain the dragon.

"Why?" Yuugi murmured, returning to the creature's side, his curiosity brimming to bursting. "Who put you down here? All of the scrolls and books and recordings state that no dragons remain." Yuugi's eyes slid closed and he took a deep breath and tossed his sanity to the winds. "No matter. You can tell me when you wake up, right? You might be our last hope and I'm willing to risk the rage that follows you waking." Yuugi turned away and reached into his pocket for a small knife. "Shall we begin?"

Erasing, or rather, scratching the runes out of the walls was no small task considering the walls were covered with such a diversity that Yuugi didn't know which were ones mattered and it was unfortunate that he couldn't examine them more closely, but he supposed that the dragon would more than willing to explain who and what sealed it inside the Gaian Hall.

"That's if he decides not to kill me," Yuugi uttered, his hand stilling on the final rune - the one that would wake the dragon before dragging his knife across it and forcing the light and magic to fade. Yuugi waited, his breath stilling when the room submerged in darkness. Yuugi lowered his knife and waited and under his breath, he prayed that this wasn't a mistake that would take his life and that of the village. He tightened the grip on the knife and turned to find himself staring into a pair of crimson eyes that glowed in the darkness and forced Yuugi to drop the knife, causing him to jump when it clattered and stilled against the stone floor.

 _"Human."_

Yuugi whimpered, his throat tight as he pressed against the wall and watched as the dragon raised its massive head and inched closer to him. "I-"

 _"Your name?"_

"What?"

The Dragon bared his teeth in a savage attempt to smile and the sight sent a shiver of delirious fear down Yuugi's spine. This was a mistake - this was an utterly horrifying mistake-

"Yuugi." Yuugi closed his eyes when the dragon hummed in response. "Yuugi Motou of Illyrian Village."

 _"I am not required nor should I give you my name, Yuugi of Illyrian."_ the Dragon inched closer and took a deep sniff of Yuugi before stepping back, the movement shuddering the ground beneath its feet. " _You have freed me from an endless slumber and thus I shall break that rule - just once, mind you. I am King Atem Ilfrin XVI - The Immortal Sun and Last Draconic King of Elysium."_

"I-" Yuugi slid down to the floor, staring into those still glowing crimson eyes before lowering his own in awe. "I just woke up the last dragon - _the last dragon."_ Yuugi looked up. "I don't understand, Your Majesty, why are you here?"

The Dragon - Atem - was silent for a long moment - long enough for Yuugi to think that he fell back into his slumber again, when Atem's deep rumble echoed.

"I-I cannot seem to recall why I was placed into this deep slumber."

Yuugi tilted his head to the left. "You don't remember?" Yuugi stood and approached the dragon, stopping when Atem lowered his head in obvious grief and confusion. "You remember nothing?"

"No," Atem responded, his response twisted and angered and Yuugi's own heart twisted - to remember nothing and to awaken in darkness must have been frightening. It would have been better to have left Atem to his slumber.

"I'm sorry - so deeply sorry." Yuugi stepped forward, reaching his hands out to place his hands against Atem's snout. "It's frightening, isn't it?"

Atem turned his head to the left, but Yuugi was no fool to not see the grief. "I am King of the Dragons - I am frightened of nothing, Human."

Yuugi's lips pulled into a warm smile and he made no motion to correct Atem. "Well, what do you plan on doing now that you've woken up?"

"I will travel home - or the remnants of it." Atem shuffled, forcing the earth to shudder under his feet. "I thank you again for freeing me-"

"Wait." Yuugi rushed forward, no longer afraid of the massive beast. "You have to help me-"

Atem snorted, halting Yuugi's process. "I have to help you? And why do I have to help you? Because you freed me from this slumber? You would hold a debt over my head?"

"Yes." Yuugi reached out, desperate, and held Atem's massive snout within his hands. "You have to help! I can't return home empty-handed. I can't let my people suffer."

"That is not my concern, Human."

"It is a concern when a dragon as mighty as yourself cannot repay a simple debt. What would it look like to your people if you couldn't handle a simple debt for a human such as I?"

Atem stilled, his massive wings twitching in what Yuugi could only describe as irritation and a touch of hurt pride. He held his breath, shuddering when Atem turned back to him with a somber expression.

"Very well."

"Thank-"

"What do you need me to do, Human? Burn your enemies alive? Cure some incurable mortal disease? Use my fire to create an indestructible weapon-"

"No." Yuugi took a tentative step closer, his heart sinking at the denial that would sit at his feet once he explained his situation. Their Lords had abandoned them to their fates and the sacrifices that kept up the barriers could be sustained for shorter periods of time and-

"I would like your help with the destruction of what our people call the Shadowed Ones." Yuugi began, swallowing back the hope that sat so tentatively before him. "They terrorize our frontier and claim it as their own."

Atem lowered his head, pushing it closer to Yuugi's shivering form. "What of your Lords? Do they do nothing to defend your lands against such monsters?"

"Our Lords have gone missing in the recent months," Yuugi responded, feeling a flush of shame dance across his cheeks when Atem huffed in exasperation. "We don't know where they have vanished and we don't have the resources to search."

"Or," Atem countered, his chest rumbling with amusement. "Your Elder does not think such bags of flesh are worth the soldiers. Am I correct in assuming so?"

"Yes. Our Elder would have our soldiers close to home in case the Shadowed Ones approached the village borders and we are caught unaware."

"You call them Shadowed Ones," Atem stated, his crimson eyes flickering with interest - mild interest. "I assume you mean Dark Elves?"

Yuugi shook his head, his brow furrowed at Atem's statement. "No-"

"They are beings dressed in clothing black as night and ride steeds that scream of corrupted magic with flames of azure licking at their heels." Atem bowed his head. "With swords caked in blood and screams that pierce the heavens as they rip the souls of their prey out of their bodies. You call them Shadowed Ones, but during my era, they were deemed Dark Elves, long gone from the Light."

Yuugi's gaze shifted left, then right before lifting up and meeting Atem's curious eyes - as if he was waiting for Yuugi's reaction and honestly, Yuugi didn't know what to think or do beyond stand here in shock. All of this time Dark Elves haunted their doors? Terrorizing them and forcing them to hide behind a blood-stained barrier?

"I always thought that Elves were loving and benevolent creatures." Yuugi murmured, his heart sinking at the information that sat in his lap. He couldn't imagine what it felt like to be lost from the light, but he understood what it felt like to be smothered in darkness.

"We are all benevolent creatures in the dawn of life, but it is the direction in which take that leads us down certain paths and it seems, Yuugi, that it has led you here before me." Atem's wings twitched. "I long to see what the world has become during the years of my slumber, but I will settle what plagues your village before I do so and we will consider my debt paid?"

"Of course."

"Good." Atem spread his wings, creating a strong gust of wind that knocked Yuugi off his feet and to the cold ground. He scrambled to rise when he was knocked down a second time when Atem's wings created a second gust of wind to start his ascension.

"Wait!" Yuugi cried out, covering his eyes as dust and debris rained down as Atem burst through the roof of his once place of slumber. "You don't know where you're going!"

"A village with a barrier, correct?" Atem called out, underneath the harsh winds and the beat of massive wings. "You best hurry. I don't want to give your villagers a fright."

For a moment, Rebecca's enraged face flashed before his mind's eyes and he was to his feet before he realized it and racing back to the surface, but the hopelessness that once sat in his heart was gone, replaced by budding hope that maybe-maybe this Atem could do something and change his world. He just wished that it could have been done sooner so that Kratos or Yoshimori could have lived to see it. He wished he could see their shocked and awe expressions as a Dragon stood amongst them, as ancient and powerful as the one in Yoshimori's dusty tomes. But, as Yuugi found out, wishing didn't bring people or things back and he would have to settle for being their eyes and ears and smiles. He would live for his family and he would save his remaining family and make sure that they bore smiles as bright as the sun itself.

He would banish the darkness and embrace the light and he would do so with a Dragon and its Flame.


	4. Chapter 4

Silmeria: Welcome! Dragon Chronicles: The Sworn Blade is my project. This tale will expand into three books and this will be one of the longest stories that I have written since I've started on this site over ten years ago. So, I ask that you bear with me on the launching of the first book: The Sworn Blade. Thanks for reading or continuously reading.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Yu-gi-oh!

* * *

 **Chapter Four: The Dragon's Flame**

Yuugi was bruised and battered and his horse was the on the verge of collapsing but he urged it on, an apology on his lips as he fought to keep up with Atem's pace, but never in all his scrolls and books did he read a horse keeping up with a dragon-

A Dragon.

He had found a Dragon - _The Last Dragon._

The thought forced his heart into overdrive and not for the last time, did he wish that Yoshimori and Kratos were alive to see such a magnificent sight. He wanted to watch as their eyes glowed with awe and their jaw drops with fear and reverence, but he would do it in their stead. He would make sure that their sacrifices wouldn't be in vain. He would live and breathe for them and he would revel in the sight of the Shadowed One's destruction. All of this would not be for naught.

The rumble of Atem's massive form landing near the gates of Illyrian Village forced Yuugi out of his thoughts and his eyes forward to see Rebecca and the Knights of Illyrian watching him with wary eyes and bows were drawn tight against the cold and fear that was racing down their spine despite their brave faces. He snapped the reins of his horse and placed himself between the Knights and Atem with a sharp order on his lips.

"Lower your weapons, Knights. This is no enemy." Yuugi slid off his horse and handed the reigns to the stable girl who was staring at Atem with dread as she all but pulled his horse back through the village gates and out of sight as if the wooden barrier would protect her and his beast. Yuugi would have felt amused if the situation placed at his feet wasn't so harrowing.

"What is this that you bring to my doorstep?" Rebecca demanded, her sword still aimed at Atem's neck. "I asked you to bring back a solution not a - a beast."

"Don't you see, Elder Hawkins." Yuugi pointed at Atem, lowering his hand when he heard a huff from above their heads. "He _is_ our solution to the Shadowed Ones." Yuugi swallowed at his next confession, pressing on because Rebecca deserved to know the truth - they all deserved to know the truth. "He is our solution to the Dark Elves."

Rebecca turned sharply in his direction, his confession a mere second off his lips. "What do you mean Dark Elves? Did you tell this-dragon that Dark Elves were our enemy? To draw him to us?"

"He did not, Wise One." Atem's deep voice rumbled from above as he lowered his massive head to Rebecca's height. "He speaks my words - of the truth behind these Shadowed Ones that plague your lands."

Hesitant, Rebecca lowered her blade and waved a hand towards the Knight, urging them to do the same before turning back to Atem with a look of shock. "You mean to tell me that Elves have haunted our door and not monsters? What evidence do you have of this, Dragon?"

"Beings dressed in clothing as black as night and ride steeds that scream of corrupted magic with flames of azure licking at their heels." Atem lowered his head further, staring into Rebecca's startling blue. "With swords caked in blood and screams that pierce the heavens as they rip the souls of their prey out of their bodies. You call them Shadowed Ones, but during my era, they were deemed Dark Elves, long gone from the Light." Atem tilted his head in amusement to Rebecca's shock. "I would not know of these beings if I have never encountered them - burned them with my flame in the name of honor and vengeance."

As if the thought of vengeance was enough, Rebecca lowered her blade and allowed it to fall in the snow as her eyes gleamed with unshed tears - relief. "You will help us, Dragon? Free us from this torment that took my son away? Took Yuugi's beloved master?"

Atem turned his head in Yuugi's direction and huffed in exasperation. "I owe this one debt and I am not inclined to be indebted to a curious human who thought it would be a good idea to free a dragon." Atem's wings twitched in visible irritation. "I will rid you of this problem and that will conclude my debt to you, Yuugi of Illyrian Village?"

"Aye."

Atem lifted his head, nostrils twitching at the sight of the barrier before lowering it in distaste and staring down at Rebecca in what Yuugi would describe as a disappointment.

"You do all to protect your people, Old One?" Atem lowered his head and met Rebecca's resigned gaze. "Dabbling in Blood Magic?"

"It was all that we could do, Dragon," Rebecca uttered, refusing to lower her eyes, refusing to take back her actions, however regretful. "I have done all that I can and I do not regret my actions. I have done what it is needed to keep my people safe and I will continue to do it. But, now that you are among us, my actions will no longer have to be harsh and a danger to around those whom I deem family."

"No." Atem lifted his head and turned towards Yuugi who was watching the proceedings with a thoughtful air. "You shall not. I will act as your repentance, Old One. I will erase your sins through flame and death, but I shall need a witness to these actions. You will join me, Yuugi of Illyrian."

"Yes, Atem, I will bear witness to your deeds on this day. It will be an honor to watch for those who are not here to do so."

"Come." Atem's wings beat once, twice, three times before he was airborne and above the village proper, his voice booming across the small town. "Ride with me and witness their end."

Yuugi didn't need to be told twice, grabbing the nearest fresh horse before turning to Rebecca who still looked awe-struck. "We will return soon, Elder."

"S-see that you do, Yuugi."

Yuugi urged the horse forward, racing after their savior - their freedom.

* * *

The Aeterna Fields was an expansive set of plains that served as a witness to countless battles between Ascien and Ceslan and while beautiful, it held the blood of countless soldiers and spirits that refused to enter the afterlife, still in mourning over the loss of their life, over the failure of protecting their comrades and homeland. Yuugi had no love for the bloodshed land, but Atem led him across it with a confidence that could only belong to The Last King of Dragons.

Yuugi opened his mouth to demand how much longer this ride was going to take when the screech of the Dark Elves reached his ears, sending a shiver of fear down his spine.

"Atem!" Yuugi roared over the wind, clenching the reins of his horse as it started shivering underneath his thighs. If he didn't control the beast then it would buck him.

"I am aware of the death screams." Atem descended, careful not to cause the horse to buck and throw him off. "Are you ready?"

"What-"

"You have the Bow of Yggdrasil, correct? I sensed its power the moment I landed outside your village. A gift from Kratos, correct?"

"How did you-?"

"Kratos, Son of Rebecca Hawkins. His soul yearns to protect you even in death. It attached itself in the last moments of death and even now, yearns for revenge. So, Yuugi of Illyrian, shall we let the arrows fly? Allow this Kratos to have a taste of revenge?"

In response to Atem's question, the bow that had been strapped to Yuugi's back glowed a bright yellow and Yuugi fought back his tears as he reached for the bow and arrow. He didn't know if this would work or not, but if Kratos was with him then it would have some effect, right? Yuugi knocked the arrow, drew back the string and let the arrow fly, jumping when Atem added his own fire causing the first group of Dark Elves to burst into flames and ashes.

"The darkness within the Dark Elves is unique even to me, and a Dragon's flames are considered blessed by the Dragon God, Ra, so I am afraid the arrows as holy and just as their aim may be, will not completely destroy these beings alone. So, we shall work together to defend your home and bring it the peace it deserves. You, who was brave enough to wake a dragon from the dredges of its slumber. You, who loves his land and will breathe his last defend it. Come, Yuugi Motou of Illyrian Village, Knight of the Frontier of Ascien, defend your home."

Yuugi swallowed back his fear and took aim again, careful to aim the arrows towards the Dark Elves who seemed to be almost infinite, but as infinite as they were, nothing could stop the arrows and dragon flame. Internally, Yuugi was horrified at the number of Dark Elves that stemmed from the forest just beyond the fields. If he hadn't found Atem, then Illyrian Village would have been wiped out in a matter of time. It sent a shiver down his spine that forced them to fight harder, his aim becoming more precise.

It was unfortunate, that despite their combined efforts, neither of them could predict the last moments of their long battle. Neither of them was prepared for the cloaked elves that stood as the last defense, murmuring spells of darkness under their breath, their voice desperate and painted in hatred and hunger.

The blast of energy knocked Yuugi off his horse, killing his beast in a burst of black flame and knocking the Bow of Yggdrasil out of his hands and out of his reach. Yuugi yelped as his body hit the ground and vaguely he heard bones crack before immense pain radiated from his leg but that was nothing compared to his abdominal area where black smoke was emanating. Yuugi cared little for the pain and more the fact that if he didn't stop the remaining Dark Elves, that his home along with the Frontier would be destroyed.

"I do apologize." Atem's voice echoed through the pain. "I am afraid that I have absorbed your bow and arrows and seeing as you're not readily available to use them on your own. I will have to finish this job alone, I'm afraid. Do me a favor and not die, yes?"

Yuugi could do nothing but stare as he watched Atem fly towards the remaining Dark Elves, wiping them out in a burst of flame and rage that caused a swell of pride and relief to swell in his chest. It was over. All of the pain and suffering that his village endured at the hands of these beasts was over at long last.

Yoshimori and Kratos would be proud of him and his efforts.

"I have forgotten how fragile human beings could be in times of war." Atem's head appeared next to his own, staring at him with a touch of impatience as if Yuugi dying was an inconvenience to him and his time.

Who knew Dragons could be such assholes?

"You are not on the edge of life just yet, little one." Atem nudged his head with his own. "You and I, we still have much left to do in this poor excuse of a world. Do you still wish to walk among it? This poor excuse of a world?"

"...yes." Yuugi gasped out, reaching out a bloodied hand touch Atem's snout, receiving a huff in response. "...yes."

"Good." Atem closed his eyes, huddled closer to Yuugi's dying body and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Your soul will join with mine and we will walk this world together for as long as we deem it so. Do not reject the pain, little one."

Yuugi felt as he was being _seared_ from the inside out and his voice as weak it was, cried out for it to end. He was never one who had a strong tolerance for pain, but this was what brought madness to even the strongest of warriors. Yet, despite the burning and wanting to run from it, he embraced it, listening and heeding Atem's words as he wrapped metaphorical arms around his will to live and gripped it tightly and never breaking his gaze from Atem's crimson gaze, staring as his body healed from the dark magic inflicted by the Dark Elves and breathing out a sigh of relief as the pain tapered off, but at what price?

"What-?" Yuugi took a deep breath, grateful that it wasn't met with pain. "What have you done?"

Atem raised his head and Yuugi couldn't help but notice that his scales were darker? The scales of his belly a darker tan, and his claws almost a midnight blue rather than the peach color.

"In return for your life, I have bonded our souls into one and in return for the gesture, it has granted me the power that your soul has held since the moment of your birth."

"Power of my soul? Since birth?" Yuugi struggled to his knees, staring up at Atem in awe. "I don't understand."

Atem's wings twitched, a telltale sign that he, too, didn't completely understand the situation that was laid out before them, but the next words that left Atem's mouth was met an inexplicable horror that made him wish he had taken death instead.

"You and I are now what the legends have spoken in reverence of, little one. We are now Dragon and Dragon-Borne."


End file.
